August 2013
Merlin’s Magic on static display at the Watsonville Fly-In, the name refers to the fact that P-51Ds are powered by a Packard-built copy of Rolls-Royce’s famous Merlin V-12 (Rolls-Royce named its engines after birds of prey, the Merlin being a species of falcon). This aircraft is a regular competitor at the Reno Air Races. More than 8100 of the D-model were produced, contributing to the total of 15,000 Mustangs built for the war. After World War II, the P-51 Mustang served in the air forces of over 55 countries. Nikon D500 w/80-400mm, processed with Aperture.